For You I Will
by justfits92
Summary: Harry gets called in to Shacklebolt's office. A marriage law has been enacted. Each person has been given a few pairs and the ministry gets to make the final choice. The only problem is Hermione has only been paired with him and Draco Malfoy. Shacklebolt lets Harry decide: will he marry Hermione to save her or choose Ginny and hope for the best? (HxHR) (Updated Regularly)
1. Friends

**Author's Note: I don't own HP or anything related to it!**

 **I know that the marriage law thing has been SO used but I thought this would be really interesting. I had a different take on the marriage law I suppose. I hope you guys like it. R &R. Thanks!**

Harry couldn't fathom why he had been summoned to Shacklebolt's office this early on a Tuesday morning. Or really, any morning to be honest. The war was finally over, just barely over but over nonetheless. They were all relatively safe minus the few rogue deatheaters yet to have been caught. The final battle was less than two weeks ago and Harry was exhausted with the grief that consumed him. While he was relieved, the pain of losing so many beloved friends was a lot to bear. Not to mention the Weasley's were in immense pain over the loss of Fred and it was heartbreaking for him to watch. He couldn't figure out why Shacklebolt would find it appropriate to pull him away from loved ones in such a time as this when so many were still grieving. He knew it must be an extremely important issue. He sat in the lobby of Kingsley's office trying to figure what could be occurring when Kingley's secretary came up to him and said "Minister Shacklebolt is ready for you now Mr. Potter". Harry nodded and walked into the office shutting the door behind him.

"Ahh Mr. Potter, I am sorry to bring you in so soon but I felt it was imperative to speak with you. Please take a seat" Kingsley said with a melancholy sigh. Harry sat down and said "Minister Shackletbolt…" "Kingsley please Harry. I feel we have worked together long enough to be on a first name basis, don't you think?" Kingsley said. Harry nodded in agreement. "Kingsley…" he corrected, "Why am I here?" Kingsley reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of paper that looked like a legal document of some sort. "Harry, the wizarding population has taken a turn for the worst. My colleagues and I in the Wizarding Affairs office have been crunching the numbers for days. The amount of magical blood that has been lost over the past year has reached dire levels. If we don't do something now… the magical world doesn't stand much of a chance. We've been forced to take action. We've had to enact something that hasn't been put in place in centuries. Something a bit… archaic, unfortunately. Read this…." Kingsley told him solemnly, handing him the paper he had retrieved from his desk.

 ** _Proclamation of the Ministry of Magic:_**

 ** _Emergency Marriage Act (Effective May 17_** ** _th,_** ** _1998)_**

 ** _All unmarried witches or wizards between the ages of 17 and 40 must marry within the next 30 days to another person of magical blood. Anyone who is currently in a relationship with another magical person has 48 hours upon receipt of this letter to file an engagement petition in order to assure they are matched with one another. Anyone who does not submit an engagement petition will be placed into a magical pool meant to assess his or her magical capabilities and compatibility. Each witch or wizard will then be matched with up to three individuals based on the criteria used in the magical pool. Upon matching, the trained officials at the ministry will then decide which matches are most compatible based on personality, intelligence, and social standing. Each witch or wizard will then receive his or her match and are required to marry within the 30-day time allotment. Those who do not comply will be stripped of their magic and will have their wands taken thus forcing them to live out their days as a muggle. Upon marriage, each couple has five years to produce at least two magical children. Failure to comply will result in loss of magic (if found to be disobeying the mandate intentionally) or will result in mandatory in-vitro implantation (for those struggling to conceive) in which one child must be produced within two years of first implantation. No divorces will be granted to couples that fail to get along and there will be no change to matches made after the 48-hour allotment to file engagement petitions. Those wishing to file petitions to extend their time will need to send all inquires to the Wizarding Affairs office. No exceptions will be made except in severe situations (such as illness or disability)._**

Harry looked up at Shacklebolt in shock, his heart racing. "You can't be serious? This is barbaric. You can't just have us all fight and then take over our lives!" he said angrily. "Harry… we don't have a choice. From what we have calculated, we will be extinct within the next 100 years. With the rate that people are having children, the loss of lives recently, and the amount of pureblood wizards that are being incarcerated due to their involvement with Voldemort, we don't have a choice. We won't even be able to keep Hogwarts open due to a lack of faculty and students within the next thirty years based on our current population! This isn't what I wanted, in fact, I fought this tooth and nail but it's a mathematical fact. Without this law, life as we know it will cease to exist" Kingsley said sadly.

Harry went through a series of emotions. He hated people trying to control his life, especially since he'd never been given the luxury to control his own future. He was sad that neither he nor his friends would get to marry for love. He was angry for so many reasons that he could hardly list them all. But the overwhelming emotion was pure dread. He knew that it had to be done. The magical world meant so much to him. It was the home for him where he felt like he truly belonged. A home he never really had anywhere else. If this was the only way to keep it intact, than as much as he hated it, it had to be done. "So why am I here? Am I supposed to support this for you or something?" Harry asked him taking a deep breath.

"No, well yes that would be great if you supported us, but that's not why you are here today. We have already submitted everyone's name into the magical pool and we've hit a bit of an issue that I felt I needed to discuss with you. You've done a lot for our world and at the very least, I felt we owed you this much. You must promise that this conversation never leaves this room, as I am breaking quite a few rules letting you have any input into this process, you understand?" Kingsley said to Harry gravely. Harry nodded, understanding the need for discretion.

"You have been paired with two witches: Ginerva Weasley and Hermione Granger" Kingsley told him seriously. "I can marry Ginny, we dated for a while and we get along splendidly! The Weasley's would be thrilled!" Harry said smiling; relieved that both his matches were people he loved dearly. Kingsley's face grew gravely serious. "Your matches are not the issue, Harry. Ginerva has been paired with you, Dean Thomas, and Oliver Wood. Based on our secondary criteria, she would be placed with Oliver Wood should you decide not to choose her" Kingsley told him. Harry nodded with a confused look on his face. "Hermione however was paired with only one other. And her match is the reason I've called you in. You are a dear friend of hers and I… well I thought you might want to be informed" Kingsley said with a gloomy look. "Who?" Harry said, concerned for his best friend's welfare. He knew that it must truly be an awful match for Kingsley to risk getting in trouble with the ministry by telling him. "Draco Malfoy" Kingsley told him with a look of absolute dread.

Harry sat there in shock, unable to comprehend that anyone would even think that matching Hermione with Malfoy would be a good idea. "But sir, you can't possibly do that to her. She's done so much for us all. She's the only damn reason I was able to defeat Voldemort. I'd be dead without her! And to condemn her to be married to Malfoy! He hates her!" Harry said protesting. "I know. It's an awful match but it's the one that came out of the criteria. I wasn't the only one there to see the match; I have no power to change it! Is there anyway she would be putting in for an engagement petition? Is there anyone she is involved with?" Kingsley asked him hopefully. Harry thought about it critically for a moment. While it was true that Ron and Hermione had kissed during the battle, they both had already not to be together. They could hardly last a day without arguing about some stupid little detail. While he knew that it was certainly stress related, if they got married, their friendship would end up in shambles. Not to mention Ron had already decided that the kiss was a huge mistake and has spent the last week crying in Lavender Brown's arms over the loss of Fred. Something about that kiss just didn't click the way either of them had hoped. He had even asked Ron about it and all Ron could say was 'It was the heat of the moment, and I love her dearly… but the spark? It wasn't really there. You can't be with someone and feel nothing when you kiss them'. Harry shook his head and said "No, I don't think so. Ron might do it out of loyalty maybe but… I don't think so, no."

Kingsley sighed and said "The situation is this Harry: If you marry Ginny, Hermione must marry Malfoy or be excommunicated. And to be honest, I'm not sure which one is worse in this case. Knowing this, I had to see what you wanted me to do. Do I pair you with Ginny or Hermione? What would you have me do?" Kingsley asked him. "You're giving this decision to me? But… why?" Harry said in a panic, realizing the magnitude of the decision he was being forced to make. "Because she's your best friend. If you are willing to marry her to spare her, I need to know now. You two are the best match of both your matches. You'd automatically get matched together. Not to mention the fact that the press would be over the moon with the idea. It wouldn't be hard to pull off on my end. But if you are so in love with Ginny Weasley that you'd want her or you would petition for her, you need to know what the outcome will be. I'm not trying to make your choice for you but you need to know. I couldn't let you make this decision without all the information" Kingsley told him, his eyes boring into Harry's with such seriousness that Harry felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He knew he cared for Ginny and that she would want to be paired with him. He knew once upon a time he loved her. He wasn't sure if he still did, but he knew that if they were paired up, he would be in a family that wanted nothing but the best for him. But he also knew that Oliver would take great care of Ginny and treat her well if he didn't choose her. He knew that if he didn't pick Ginny, she would be okay. She'd never know he chose Hermione. And if she ever found out, she would understand. He knew he didn't love Hermione in a romantic way. She was his best friend though. They could certainly make a marriage on the foundation of friendship that they had. She'd be safe with him and he hoped he could learn to love her that way if he gave himself the chance. She would make a good wife and an incredible mother when they had kids. And if he had to deal with one person for the rest of his life, there's no one who's company he enjoyed as much as he enjoyed being with Hermione. She would be miserable with Malfoy. He would break her heart and mind. In fact, she would probably just leave the magical world rather than marry Malfoy. If he didn't marry her, she'd be doomed to leave them. He loved her more than anyone else in the whole world. He couldn't let that happen.

"Hermione. Pair me with Hermione." Harry said with a determined look in his eye. Kingsley nodded at Harry with a knowing look. Harry knew it was going to be hard to keep Ginny at bay for the next 48 hours. Not to mention, she would be heartbroken when she found out that Harry and Hermione got paired. But despite the fact that this would be hard on all of them, he knew that it was right. He just hoped that once everyone got their letters, there wasn't too much hell to pay.


	2. Poison & Wine

**Author's Note: I do not own HP or any part of it nor do I get any compensation from this writing but joy.**

 **The response for this story has been so phenomenal. Just wanted to clarify: this will not be a harem story. Nor will they magically fall in love with each other quickly. This is going to be a slow transition from friends to more. At the end of the day, this story is going to be H/HR. Also, I haven't started putting the other matches that will be happening throughout the story in yet but I have everyone paired up so be prepared to see some more of your favorite characters coming into play. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy the update.**

Harry walked out of the Ministry with his mind in a whirl. He knew that he made the right decision, but when he told Kingsley he would turn down Ginny, he didn't quite think how he was going to pull it off. The letters were going to be sent out tonight in the evening post. That meant he needed to tell Ginny that he wouldn't petition for her while simultaneously not telling her why nor hurting her feelings. He wasn't even sure if that was possible but he was going to try. He knew that his former feelings for Ginny were going to interfere in his ability to pull this off but he had to move forward. Not to mention, if Hermione caught on even in the slightest, she wouldn't let him go through with it. She would appreciate the gesture but she'd never allow Harry to sacrifice the chance to be with Ginny so that she wouldn't have to leave the Magical world.

Harry knew that Hermione would leave the magical world if she felt it necessary. There was no question about that. Hermione was too proud to lower herself to being a Malfoy if is came down to it. Draco may not be completely evil like his father once was but it would never make up for his treatment of Hermione all those years. Many people would leave if they felt that there was no way for them to be happy in their matches. Yet there was a greater force at work here that would keep most people from leaving. People had fought hard to keep their world together and while giving a little more might seem excessive, people would do it. They wouldn't be happy about the law, but after sacrificing so much, leaving wasn't an option for most of them. That's why Harry was compliant and why he would do what was asked of him despite his reservations. He needed stay in the world he sacrificed and fought for even if it meant sacrificing more

He looked at his watch and realized that the letters would be sent in the next hour. He figured the best place to face this reality would be with the Weasley's. They wouldn't take it well but being together as a family would help soften the blow. Or at least, he hoped it would. He mentally prepared himself for the battle his heart was about to face and apparated to the Burrow. Upon entering the Burrow, Harry could tell he had overestimated how long it would take the ministry to send out the letters. Molly looked exasperated while Arthur sat at the kitchen table shaking his head and muttering. Charlie and Percy had both come from their respective jobs and were sitting in the arm choices in the corners discussing possible matches. George was nowhere to be found though Harry assumed he was dealing with this news by himself in his room. Ron looked up from his seat at the kitchen table to see Harry and said "Oy Harry! Have you seen this?"

Harry shook his head, trying to play it off like he had no idea what was going on. Ron walked over to him and handed him the all-too-familiar letter. Harry shook his head and sighed and said "What now?"

Before Ron could answer, they heard a pop from the yard and the door opened to reveal an extremely angry looking Hermione Granger. Her hair was a mess (even more so than usual) and her eyes were burning with rage. "What in Merlin's bloody beard did they think they would accomplish by this?" she yelled at no one in particular. She started pacing around the living room with tears threatening to flood out of her eyes. "It'll be okay Mione. I'm sure it won't be that bad" Ron told her quietly even though it was obvious he wasn't that hopeful.

Hermione looked at him like he grew a second head. "Of course it won't be bad for you! I bet you've already drafted the bloody paperwork for you engagement petition to Lavender!" She told him scathingly. Ron looked away guilty, making it obvious that that had been his plan. "The rest of us however… UGH… this is so unfair" she said, running out of steam and crumpling into a heap on the couch. Harry sat next to her and patted her on the back saying "We will figure this out Mione".

There were footsteps on the stairs and Harry turned around to find Ginny, eyes red and exhausted with her letter in her hand. "Harry, may I speak with you… outside?" Ginny asked him quietly. Harry nodded, his heart beating out of his chest. He had no idea what he was going to say to her. How he would tell her that he couldn't petition for her. His heart was aching in sadness that this choice had to be made. He loved Ginny once upon a time, maybe even loved her still, but he had made his choice. He wouldn't turn his back on Hermione.

"Ginny, I…" Harry began. "Wait, I need to speak first" Ginny said interrupting him. Harry nodded his head, confused at her insistence.

"Harry, I love you. I do. You were the love of my life since I was a little girl. You mean so much to me and even more to my family. In an ideal situation, this wouldn't be happening to all of us right now. This law is fucked and it just… it changes everything. In a perfect world, we would have time to decide whether or not we wanted to give this a go but we don't have that time. The past year has just been so much to deal with, between being at Hogwarts and worrying about the three of you… I just have it left in me to continue on with this. We are just such different people and I just… I just, I don't think… I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't think this is going to work. I am so sorry, really I am but that's how I feel" Ginny said with a melancholy look on her face.

Harry stood there stunned. Had Ginny just told him she wouldn't marry him? Is that what she meant by all this? His heart was breaking. He knew he couldn't marry her but he thought that she would at least have wanted to marry him.

"What, wait… what do you mean Gin?" Harry asked her, confused that perhaps he was misinterpreting what she was trying to say.

"I don't think we should put in a petition to get married. I know that you being the nice guy that you are, you would want to so that neither of us is miserable in the long them. That way neither of us got some awful match but… I think we have reached our end. We are just such different people. You… you've been through so much and I know all you've ever wanted in to settle down and get married and have children and be a family. I don't… I don't want that. I want to travel and see the world and be free. And while I know this law kind of puts a damper on that, I want to be with someone who wants to do that with me. Have a few kids and cart them around with us on the adventure if we have to. I don't think that would make you happy though. I've thought about this and I think that it's best to allow the ministry to match us instead. I may live to regret this but… something tells me that if we got married, we wouldn't actually get along very well and then, well then we would have this monumental rift in the family that I don't think either of us could bear. I think it's best for us both to take the chance that the ministry might get this right. I hope you understand." She told him. He nodded in utter shock.

"I completely agree Ginny. I think it's the best for us both. I'm glad we see eye-to-eye" he said quietly. Ginny looked at him skeptically and nodded at him. Ginny gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and walked back into the house, allowing Harry to have some time alone.

He knew he shouldn't be upset. He was about to say the same thing to her but there is a difference between being the one saying it and having it said to you. His heart was broken in the oddest way. He wasn't said that she didn't love him but rather he was sad that she didn't trust their ability to make it work if it were to happen. Ginny didn't want to marry him. If he had chosen her, she would have ended up with him and not wanted to be with him. Hermione would have ended up with Draco for nothing. That reality hurt but it reinforced his choice that much more. He knew at the very least that he would be with someone that makes him happy even if it was just in a platonic way. At least he knew that Hermione wanted what he wanted in the long run and she wouldn't be unhappy to deal with his homebody ways.

He decided that he wasn't nearly ready to go face the Weasley's so he walked towards the lake on their property. He sat down and stared at the moon and mourned the loss of something he never had. He mourned the loss of Ginny, the loss of innocence, and the loss of a future he never realized he wanted. He was hopeful for his future with Hermione but he had no idea what it was going to be like. He didn't know how he could go from being her best friend to being her husband. Ginny had been comfortable because they had ventured into that territory before however he had never been like that with Hermione. It was all so new to him and it was worrisome that he could accidently ruin the best friendship he'd ever had. He had been sitting there about an hour when all of a sudden he saw someone drop next to him. He looked to see Hermione sitting next to him, staring at the moonlight glinting on the water's surface. "Ginny told me what happened. Are you alright?" Hermione said quietly.

"I don't know why it hurts. I was going to tell her the exact same thing yet still… it hurts" Harry said shaking his head.

Hermione sighed and grabbed his hand and said "Because knowing you won't work out hurts a lot more than just thinking it. Being told it's over hurts much more than assuming it. Having it taken from you sometimes makes you want things you never realized you could want. It'll be okay though, I promise. Whomever they match you with, you'll learn to love. They won't give you some shit match. You are the savior of the magical world and all" she said breaking into a chuckle.

Harry looked at Hermione and nodded with a small grin. He saw the sadness in her eyes, all the tears left unshed. He knew her heart was breaking too but for an entirely different reason. Not for him, but for Ron. Ron: the boy who never would choose her, the boy who it could never work with even without the law. He knew that Hermione and Ron had not planned to get together after that ill-conceived kiss they shared, but to have him choosing Lavender only a few weeks later, Harry knew Hermione must be hurting. Harry held her hand tighter. Hermione stared at the water and began to cry.

"I always thought I'd get to make this decision for myself. I always thought I'd get to decide who I loved for the rest of my life. Not that anyone has ever loved me that way but still… I wanted to choose. I wanted to know what it was like to fall for someone and never want to be without them. And now… I'm going to get stuck with someone who barely knows me. Who probably couldn't care less. No one will ever love me or want me. I'll never be anyone's choice just their default" Hermione said desperately.

Harry reached over and brought Hermione into a close embrace, hearing her sob into his chest. Harry could see his best friend breaking under the pressure of this process. He could see how scared she was of being placed with someone who could never love her. He knew in that moment that he made the best decision of his life in that office. Sure, he wasn't in love with her. But sitting here, with his arms wrapped around her, he knew that there was no one he could love as much as he loved her. Maybe it wasn't 'in love' but it was love and that was more than enough.

"Hermione, can I ask you something?' Harry said to her softly. Hermione lifted her head and nodded, sniffling quietly.

"Of course, you can always ask me anything" Hermione said with a soft laugh, still trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"If you had to spend every day of your life with another person, who would it be?" Harry asked her seriously. Hermione thought for a moment and broke into a grin. "You. Always you. At least when you're around, we always have a good time. And I can always talk to you, unlike most people who just tune out every time I speak" she said, poking him in the ribs playfully.

"Me too. You're the only person I could tolerate every day for the rest of… well forever" Harry said nodding. He knew that their matches would end up together. He knew there was no need to ask her to marry him. But hearing that she felt that no one would ever choose her made him so terribly sad for her. If he was going to be married to Hermione, he wanted her to feel chosen by him. Because at the end of the day, he had chosen her, she just didn't know that.

Harry got up from his seat by the lake and grabbed Hermione's hands pulling her up as well. Hermione looked at him confused. "What is it Harry?" she asked him worried.

"Hermione, you are my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone I've ever known. You have stood by me when the consequences could have been dire. You have dragged me out of the depths of depression even when I wanted to stop moving forward with my life. You always the light that brought me back to reality whenever the fog descended upon my life. You have always been there for me through everything and I want to be there for you through everything too. If I had to choose between you and anyone else, the answer would always be you. I love you so much. Maybe we aren't in love, but I have to believe that the love we do have means so much more than infatuation ever could. I don't exactly have a ring yet but… I'm going to do this anyway" Harry said as he knelt on one knee. "Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?" Harry asked her, grabbing her hand.

Hermione looked at him shocked and broke into a soft smile. "You don't have to do this" she said to him sweetly "It's not your duty". He nodded, looking into her eyes. 'But I want to' he said to her with a serious look in his eye.

"Then yes. Yes, I'll marry you Harry" Hermione told him with the most grateful and relieved look on her face. Harry stood up and wrapped her in a huge hug. Hermione kissed him on the cheek and smiled.

"Thank you" she told him with tears in her eyes. He smiled and grabbed her hand gently. "We better get inside and fill out an engagement petition, hmm?" Harry asked her seriously. Hermione nodded with sad smile on her face and they walked towards the Burrow. While they were both sad at the circumstances of their engagement, they knew they could take on the world together and for now, that was enough.


	3. Near To You

The next 48 hours were extremely stressful on everyone in the magical world. The Weasley house was certainly no exception to this. After Harry proposed to Hermione (albeit not under ideal circumstances), Hermione and Harry both went into the Weasley's home with a new sense of relief. All of the Weasley's were quite happy when they told them of their decision to marry one another. None of the Weasley's wanted to see Harry or Hermione married off to people that they didn't know or like. It made sense to them just as much as it did to Harry and Hermione. Molly cried when they told her and gave them both big hugs while muttering about how "relieved to hear that" she was. Ginny gave them a half-hearted smile congratulated them. Ron was incredulous when he heard and looked at them both like they had grown an extra head. He was surprised but was glad to know they would both be safe from more unsavory possibilities.

He thumped Harry on the back and said "Good Luck" to them shaking his head and chuckling under his breath. Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the night glancing nervously at each other, both trying to process the new reality that they were going to be getting married. It was odd to think that in less than a month, they would be more than best friends.

Ron owled Lavender to ask her to put in a petition with him and Percy owled his girlfriend Audrey to ask her if her could come by in the morning. Harry was surprised Ron hadn't just apparated over to the Brown's to ask in person but he said he didn't want to deal with the whole "meet the parents" situation quite yet. The rest of the Weasley's spent the evening trying to figure out if there were any loopholes to the law (of which Arthur swore he couldn't find) and who people might get paired with. At the end of the day, none of them could figure out how the ministry would make its choices. Harry and Hermione both decided to stay for the night and the whole house went to bed that night with heavy hearts and troubled minds.

The next day was eventful for them all. Harry woke to see Hermione and Ginny helping Mrs. Weasley make breakfast while George sat on the couch, eyes sullen and red. Harry sat next to him quietly and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. George had easily lost twenty pounds over the last few weeks. His cheeks were strikingly bony and his complexion was grey. He wasn't the same person without Fred and it was hard to watch him fall to pieces this way. Unfortunately, there was very little any of them could do. He looked lost in his own mind and Harry felt bad to disturb him. George turned his head to Harry and said "You can ask, you know. I won't bite"

Harry looked at him, surprised he was speaking, as he had barely spoken to anyone since he had given the eulogy at Fred's funeral. "How are you dealing with this law?" Harry asked him. He knew better than to ask how George was doing. The answer would either upset him or be too painfully obvious to put into words.

"I'm supposed to put on a happy face and marry some girl I barely know when my heart has no room to love anyone right now. I'm doing fantastic." George said sarcastically. Harry looked at the ground, sorry to have asked though George has told him to. "Sorry… I don't mean to be so… well, sharp. It's just hard to think I am supposed to be ready to do this when I barely feel ready to go outside. How am I supposed to love some girl when right now, my whole world has fallen apart. God this girl will have to be an angel to put up with me" George told him quietly.

Harry nodded his head in understanding. While this law was hardly fair for any of them, it was most unfair for George. He hadn't even remotely recovered from his loss, nor would he for a long time. It was an uphill battle as is and now he had to deal with all this as well. He was just supposed to shove it all aside and marry someone a month from now, moving forward with his life. It seemed an impossible task. "Have you thought about petitioning for an exception? Claim mental distress? You shouldn't have to do this right now" Harry suggested.

George shook his head and said "Harry, they might give me an exception (though I doubt it), but Fred would be livid with me if I took it. I can hear him in my head saying 'Be brave Georgie. You can't be afraid of some girl'. I have to do this for him. If the rest of the world has to do this, I have to do this too. He would want me to move on, even if I don't feel like I have it in me. I just hope that whoever it is gets why I'm like this. I can't handle someone trying to fix me right now"

Harry nodded in understanding when he suddenly heard a clawing at the window. He saw the Weasley's owl Errol scratching at the window, so he got up and opened it, Errol whizzing by his head. Errol crashed into the kitchen table unceremoniously, with a letter smelling of some nauseating flowery perfume, tied to his leg. "Oy! That must be from Lavender!" Ron said, rushing over to the owl and untying the letter with a goofy grin.

Ron quickly opened it and begun reading. "Breakfast!" Molly yelled up the stairs, while Ginny and Hermione placed the last few plates on the table. Harry and the rest of the family made their way to the table and began to eat. Ron however remained in the corner, looking at the letter confused. "Ron? You alright man?" Harry asked him from his seat at the table. Ron looked up, his face pale. "She said no." he said, his voice shaking.

Harry looked at Ron in confusion. "What do you mean 'she said no'?" Harry asked him dumbfounded. Ron shook his head and sat at the table, placing the letter in front of him. Ginny reached for it and read it under her breath, glancing at Ron. Molly and Arthur both looked at Ron sadly and Ginny got up and gave him a hug. "She said that she needs someone who can commit to being with her. She said that I 'have always been back and forth' about our relationship and she doesn't think that it will lead to a successful marriage. Her parents are good friends with the Thomas' so they've agreed to have Dean and Lavender put in for a petition instead" Ron told Harry sadly, tears threatening to escape from his eyes.

Harry was speechless. He felt terrible that Ron had been denied. He felt even worse that now he would have to deal with the matchup process like the rest of the family. Harry looked over at Hermione, trying to gauge her reaction to the news. He wondered if she would prefer to marry Ron now that he was available. He resigned himself to ask her next time they were alone since he didn't want her to miss her chance. The family all took turns comforting Ron and assuring him it would be all right and went about eating breakfast. Percy came home a few hours later and let the family know that he and Audrey had agreed to marry. They were all quite happy for him and congratulated him. They all then spent the next few hours cleaning the house and grounds, after Molly insisted, knowing they would soon have company due to the many engagements soon to occur.

Harry and Hermione both ended up on garden gnome duty. Harry had finally caught one of them and sent it flying into the air when Hermione made a squeak. A gnome had bitten down on her hand and she had dropped it in surprise. Harry laughed at the sight and Hermione made a face at him. "Hermione, can I ask you something?" Harry asked her as she desperately tried to catch the gnome that bit her. "Of course Harry" Hermione told him, crashing to the ground finally catching the gnome in a chokehold. She threw it unceremoniously in the air and huffed in satisfaction. "Would you rather marry Ron?" Harry asked nervously.

He would understand if she would and he wouldn't hold it against her. She had always cared for Ron in that way. He knew that Ron would probably agree if she asked since Lavender turned him down. Secretly, he wished she would say no. He didn't want to get matched with Ginny now that he knew the feeling wasn't reciprocal. But he'd understand and marry Ginny if it would make both Ron and Hermione happy. They were his best friends after all. Hermione looked at him surprised and shook her head. "No. I mean, I did love him. But now, I just can't. He chose her over me and I don't think I can ever really forget that. Besides, he would only be saying yes because she said no, not because he wanted me the way I used to want him. Not really the best foundation for a marriage. And besides, we argue constantly. That would probably end in disaster" Hermione assured him.

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm not trying to push you towards him. I do want to marry you because you're my best friend. But I don't want you to feel that just because you said yes to me that you can't change your mind. We have 24 hours until it all becomes final" Harry told her seriously.

Hermione laughed and gave him a big smile. "I know that Harry. I know you would step aside if I really wanted you to. You're just that kind of guy. But I don't want to marry Ron under the circumstances. It wouldn't feel right. Is that okay? Can you still put up with me?" Hermione said. Harry nodded and rolled his eyes at her and muttered "If I have to…" Hermione huffed and threw a gnome at his head. Harry caught it with ease laughing and they went about clearing the yard.

By dinner time, the grounds were cleaner than Harry had ever seen them. The whole family was on edge throughout the entirety of dinner. They all knew that the letters would be coming first thing in the morning. Everyone's fate would be sealed and they wouldn't be able to turn back. No one had much to say since they were all lost in their own thoughts, which led to a silent dinner, something that Harry had never experienced at the Weasley's before. After dinner, everyone slowly dwindled off to bed until only Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny were still awake. Hermione sat on the couch reading a book while Ginny sat in an armchair drinking a cup of tea, lost in thought. Ginny would glance occasionally at Hermione, but Hermione was so engrossed in her book she didn't notice. Ron and Harry sat in a corner, playing a game of wizard's chess enthusiatically.

Hermione sighed loudly and closed her book when the bell tolled at ten. "I'm headed up" she told the group. They all looked over at her as she slowly ascended the stairs, calling goodnight after her. Ginny got up from her chair and moved to the couch, watching the boy's game out of boredom. After about a half-hour, Ron finally beat Harry and decided to go to sleep as well. Ron headed to his room quickly and Harry trailed behind him when Ginny said "Harry wait".

Harry turned around and sat on the couch. "Yeah Gin?" he asked her. Ginny sighed and put her cup of tea down. "Can I ask you something?" Ginny said quietly, twiddling her hands idly. Harry nodded at her. "Were you going to ask Hermione even before I told you I didn't want to get married?" she asked him. Harry was taken aback by her question. He didn't expect to have this conversation with her at any point. He couldn't tell her about his conversation with Shacklebolt or he could get Kingsley in a lot of trouble. He didn't want to lie to her either though.

"Honestly, yes. But not for the reason you're thinking" Harry said to her, with a feeling of guilt. "And what reason do you think I'm thinking, hmm?" Ginny asked, looking annoyed that he was assuming to know how she felt. "I'm not in love with her. I know that's what you thinking" he told her seriously. Ginny looked surprised and said "Well… okay yes, that is what I thought. You were alone together in the woods for a year Harry. Can you blame me? But if you don't love her, why then?"

"Because you come from this world Ginny. If I didn't marry you, your family could find someone suitable for you worse case. You wouldn't get paired up with some pureblood based on your blood status. They're trying to get muggle-borns and purebloods to breed together to make us all stronger so this doesn't happen again Gin. They're trying to breed out the squibs. You won't get some deatheater or pureblood enthusiast because you're a pureblood. You're safe. But Hermione, she's muggle-born. She's bound to be placed with a pureblood, and how many of those are still untouched by Voldemort? She has very few options. What if she ended up with someone like Malfoy? I can't just sit by and let that happen to her. She's my best friend." Harry told her, a hint of anger in his voice. Ginny nodded in understanding, finally comprehending Harry's true reasoning.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't even think of that" Ginny told him in remorse. "I'm sorry for questioning your motives. I know that I decided that we shouldn't get married too. It's just hard to deal with all this. I guess I just never expected you and Hermione to pair up. It was easy when we were both going to be forced. Suppose it just felt different when you found someone else."

"I know Gin. And if the situation was differnt, this wouldn't be happening. But this is the reality we are being given right now. Please understand where I am coming from." Harry told her. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I do. And I really do hope you're happy together in the long run. I just needed to know. For closure." she told him, getting up from the couch. Ginny headed up the stairs and went to bed.

Harry understood where Ginny was coming from. Even when you don't want to be with someone, it can still be hard to let them go. He could understand why should would question him for suddenly asking Hermione when they kissed only a few weeks prior. It was hard for him to let go too. He knew Ginny would be alright in the long run. He already knew who she would be getting as a match in the morning. Oliver would treat Ginny like a princess. He was a nice guy and he was actually quite similar to Ginny. They'd get along quite well, he thought. Harry went to bed that night with an uneasy weight on his mind. He knew it would all work out for Ginny but he still had no idea what would happen to the rest of the Weasley's in the morning

The next morning, Harry woke up early and immediately went downstairs. There was a stack of neatly addressed letters sitting on the table, taunting them all sickly. Everyone was already awake and staring at the letters from their different spots in the room, unsure how to approach such a worrisome situation. "Alright, let's get this done with!" Molly said nervously, motioning for them all to come to the table.

"Harry, why don't you go first? Make sure your petition was accepted?" Molly suggested. Harry grabbed his letter and opened it. He was relieved to see that there were no surprises. "They accepted our petition. I'm placed with Hermione" Harry told the family, who all stared at him nervously. Harry and Hermione smiled at each other in relief and she put her head on his shoulder taking a deep breath. He could tell she had been terrified the petition would be rejected since neither of them were purebloods.

"Alright, Charlie… you next!" Molly said, handing Charlie his letter. Charlie grabbed it and nervously ripped it open. He scanned it quickly and said "Katherine Wilson. She's a dragon trainer working out of Bulgaria. I have heard of her actually through a few of my collegues. The dragon world is a small one. At least she won't hate my profession, eh?" he said with a half-hearted smile. The whole table laughed and Molly said "Write her and invite her to dinner tomorrow? I want to meet her if that's alright?" Charlie nodded at his mother and put the letter down with a shy grin.

"Percy next?" Arthur said, handing Percy his letter. Percy nodded and opened his letter. He read it slowly and broke into a grin. "Audrey, thank god!" he said with a look of relief. They all smiled at him. Percy and Audrey had been dating for a short while but seemed very happy. They were all glad that the petition for the two of them had been granted. At least one of them would be happy for sure.

"Ginny, why don't you go next darling?" Molly said, handing Ginny her letter. Ginny took a deep breath and opened it. Harry knew it would be fine yet he was still nervous for her reaction. "Oliver Wood" Ginny said quietly. Ron broke into a grin, "Oy that'll be a hoot! Wood's a good one. Bloody good at Quidditch too". Ginny nodded and looked at Molly. "That's lovely darling" Molly said. Arthur nodded at Ginny in agreement with his wife and kissed Ginny on the head.

"Ron? You next." Molly said quickly, grabbing his letter from the center of the table and handing it to him. Ron looked at it nervously, turning red in the cheeks, and slowly opened it. He read it slowly and Harry stared at him nervously. He hoped Ron wouldn't get someone he could barely stand. "Hannah Abbot" Ron said eventually with a small smile. "She's really nice." Hermione told him. Ron nodded in agreement and put his letter down, a look of relief in his eye. "I know her mum! She's such a lovely woman! We must have her over soon!" Molly said with a smile at Ron.

They all stared at the remaining letter at the center of the table. None of them felt that George should have to deal with this situation with all the pain he was experiencing. Harry was nervous that George would get some heartless bitch who wouldn't care that he was still in so much pain, that would treat him terribly and make the whole situation that much worse. No one wanted to be the one to hand the letter over to George for fear that he would end up in an even worse situation than he already was in. No one even wanted George to open the letter but they knew it had to be done.

"Guess I'd better get a move on, yeah?" George told the table quietly, everyone looking at him nervously. Arthur patted George on the back and said "You ready for this? It can wait a few hours." George nodded and reached for the letter. He opened it slowly, the whole room getting eerily quiet. He stared at the letter for a moment and then suddenly started laughing. He kept laughing for a few minutes, the whole table staring at him like he'd lost his mind. "You alright George? Who is it?" Molly finally said.

"I don't know why I was so worried. They gave me probably the most understanding witch they could find! The ministry sure has a fun sense of humor. They picked the only girl who is weird enough to deal with me, I think" he said with a small grin. "So?" Molly said impatiently, looking at George in anticipation.

"Luna Lovegood" George told the whole table. They all broke out into smiles. Luna was as nice as they come and she certainly would understand what George was going through. "Fred would approve" Ron blurted out with a grin. The whole family stared at him in shock. They tried to never mention Fred in front of George for fear of making the pain even worse. Ron realized his mistake the moment he said it but it was too late. He began to apologize when George looked at him and said "Yeah, Fred would approve. You're right." with a nod.

The whole family looked relieved. George eventually went up to his room, saying he needed some time to write Luna. The rest of the family congregated around the table and began to make plans for all the new additions to come and meet the family. Harry was overwhelmed with how fast it was all moving but temporarily relieved that the matches were in. He knew that all the Weasley's would be well off. There weren't any matches that seemed ill-fitted, at least none of them were given a former death-eater. Harry sat at the table and Mrs. Weasley chattered on about how she would get all the weddings settled and whatnot. Harry wasn't really listening but he was glad to see Mrs. Weasley had something to focus on. In fact, Harry was just glad to see them all together. Life was still uncertain but it was going to work out. That's all that mattered.


	4. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay guys. Life is super hectic for me around the holidays not to mention I have a sick family member which has led to a lot of stress more-so than usual. I will be able to update significantly more now that the holidays have passed. I hope you enjoy the update and I will be updating soon. Hope you all had a lovely holiday season.**

Now that all the matches were set, there was a sense of unease that filled Harry to the brim. It had been a week since all the matches had come out and Harry was in shock of how quickly everything was moving around him. He and Hermione had gone from being so perfectly comfortable around one another to timid and shy all of a sudden. They could barely be in the same room without blushing and avoiding eye contact, which was a huge contrast to their usual banter. He knew that the prospect of marrying one another would certainly change their relationship, but he hadn't really grasped just how quickly it would alter. He supposed he should speak to her about it but he had never been one to talk about his feelings with girls. In fact, Hermione had always been the girl that he would talk to about other girls. He always stumbled over his words and ended up making a fool out of himself without her guidance. It was unlucky that the only person he could ask about girls that wasn't Hermione was his former girlfriend.

Hermione had been acting weird ever since the battle even before the marriage law had become public knowledge. She was grieving like they all were but Harry could tell something else was brewing under the surface. She wasn't acting like Hermione but rather a nervous shell of her former self. She was withdrawn and lost in her own thoughts too often for him to fail to notice it. He had assumed that it was due to the news of the law and their impending marriage compounded on top of the sheer number of funerals they had attended recently but he had a nagging feeling that a piece of the picture was missing. He knew her too well and something was bothering her. Something she wasn't telling anyone. He just wished she would confide in him like she used to before this whole ordeal had begun.

The ordeal in question seemed to be permanent, at least for now. He knew that many had been fighting the law tooth-and-nail, trying to get it repealed. Draco Malfoy petitioned for an overhaul almost immediately once he got paired with Romilda Vane ( _guess he wasn't too keen on dealing with her forever_ ) but the ministry was adamant in their decision. They had issued statement after statement about how it was the only way to get the population to viability and that they had exhausted all other options. Many people refused to comply though and decided to leave the wizarding world rather than give into the ministry's orders. Harry had seen many muggle-borns and half-bloods turning in their wands, prepared to return to the world they knew prior to discovering magic. It wasn't particularly surprising given the circumstances. They had somewhere to return to and knew how to function in the muggle world, at least to some degree and Harry respected their courage to begin their lives from the ground up.

The pure-bloods were a whole other story and were approaching the situation in a far more complacent manner. He had yet to find a single pure-blood willing to leave the magical world in favor of not complying with their matches. While many were unhappy with their matches, they feared losing their families and friends far more than the prospect of an unhappy marriage. Like Harry, many couldn't imagine their world without magic. He could see both sides of the picture, but in the end, he couldn't walk away and neither could they. The law was intrusive and cruel but the alternative was equally cruel to those whose lives were immersed in the magical world. Harry was hopeful that perhaps the law might be overturned in a few years, after all the commotion from the war had died down. He had faith that it would all work out and that the ministry would find a better option once the dust had settled from all the turmoil they had been facing. That faith did very little good for him now however.

The chance of a repeal "someday" didn't change the fact that he still had to marry Hermione in the next three weeks or that their relationship had been inexplicably altered by the situation. It also didn't mean that if the ministry offered them an out in a few years he would take it. If the ministry reneged on its decision, Harry wasn't sure he could walk away and begin again. Especially if him and Hermione had a child (or even children), walking away could never be an option. Despite his fears (of which he had many), he was prepared to make this decision for the rest of his life. Which meant he needed to see Hermione to work out this odd predicament as soon as possible.

Harry had left the Weasley's the day after the pairings came through. He thought it would be best to give them all some space as a family to deal with their grief and the sheer amount of change they all were about to undergo. Most wizarding families were only dealing with one or two marriages while the Weasley's were organizing five. With Fred's death still so fresh in their minds, Harry knew they were all under extreme pressure. He had been staying at Grimmauld place ever since, trying to spruce it up for when he and Hermione would make this their own home.

He hated the place which made it hard to invest time and energy into making it more habitable. It was full of dark magic and painful memories. Memories of Sirius being taken from him. Memories of the war. Too many things that Harry didn't want to think about for the time being. It was old and dark and Harry could hardly consider living there with Hermione long-term, much less raising children there. Harry considered buying a new house with the money in his vault (well minus the money he paid Gringotts to repair the damage the three of them caused only a few months back) but he figured Hermione should get the chance to put her input into the decision. It would do for now, but Harry was more than ready to find somewhere else for the two of them to settle.

Hermione had left at the same time as Harry, deciding to return to her parent's former home. Harry had been surprised that she was eager to go there, with them still being in hiding, but respected her decision. Harry had been there a few times over the years and remembered quite well how to get there. He figured it was a good idea to at least attempt to talk to Hermione and decided to pop by her place and see if she would like to go to dinner. After all, they had to be married quite soon and needed to set a date. Harry pictured Hermione's neighborhood in his mind and apparated, intent on ending the growing awkwardness between them.

Harry landed outside her house, on her front lawn, in a disheveled mess. He looked up at the light yellow house in front of him and was unsure if he was in the right place. He recognized the neighborhood and was bewildered by the state of the house in front of him. The top of the house had dark scorch markings, evidence of a fire not too long past, and the lawn was tall and unkempt. Harry knew Hermione had relocated her parents but he couldn't fathom her staying anywhere in such disarray. Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket and slowly approached the door, weary of an attack from within. He opened the front door and called out "Hermione…?" hesitantly.

Harry could hear a crash come from the living room and rushed inside. He was surprised to find Hermione in a heap on the ground, having obviously just fell off the couch.

"Harry!" Hermione said shocked, trying to pull herself off the ground. She was wearing too-big pajamas and her hair was in a messy bun. She looked like she hadn't slept in days with dark circles under her eyes. Harry surveyed her and realized she had been crying.

"Hermione? Are you alright? I came to see if you would like to come to dinner with me but I didn't expect for the house to be in such… well… disrepair." Harry said, helping Hermione off the floor.

"I'm fine Harry, really. I just, I suppose, well… I guess I have been having some trouble finding motivation to fix the place up." Hermione said offhandedly, keeping her eyes glued to the floor.

"What happened?" Harry asked her, sitting down on the couch and motioning for her to join him.

"I guess some death eaters came looking for my parents while we were searching for the horcruxes. Luckily, I had sent them away, but they made a mess of the place" Hermione said quietly, sitting next to Harry on the couch.

"Why are you staying here then? You're more then welcome to stay with me at Grimmauld place. You know that, right?" Harry asked her, putting his arm around her shoulder comfortingly. Hermione nodded and suddenly burst into tears. Harry immediately pulled her into a hug.

"I just… It's all so empty without them. I can't imagine not having them here with me. I can't bare to clean the place up not knowing if they will ever be able to return here. It feels like all these major life decisions are happening for me and I don't even have them with me like I'd always pictured. I'm supposed to be getting married for God's sake and they won't even be there. Not having my dad walk me down the aisle at my wedding…" Hermione said between sobs.

It finally dawned on Harry why Hermione was so upset. While Harry had never tried to picture himself getting married prior to the law, Hermione probably had many times. He was sure that she had this image in her head of what she always wanted her wedding to be like, and he was certain that her family was a huge part of that image. She was already being forced to give up so much of that picture-perfect vision she had always wanted but the thought of not even getting to share it with her family must be heartbreaking.

"Hermione, how about this? We make our wedding the last possible day and go search for your parents. That would give us until the 16th to find them. It'll be a bit of a tight time schedule but I figure with your brains and a little luck, we might be able to find them in time for the wedding. We find them and then restore their memories and they can come back with us and at the very least, you'll have your dad to walk you down the aisle. How does that sound?" Harry suggested, lifting Hermione's chin to look into her eyes.

Hermione smiled and looked at him with such hope in her eyes that Harry broke into a grin. He never realized how much it meant to him to make her happy. He would do anything to take away the sadness and see her happy again. Hermione nodded her head and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Do you really think we could pull it off? We only have three weeks and we have a wedding to plan… is it possible?" Hermione asked him, with a worried tone.

"Leave the wedding planning to me. I am sure I can find someone who can throw it all together for us for the right price. You just tell me what you generally want and I'll find a way to make it happen, okay?" Harry said with a quiet smile as he squeezed Hermione's hand in his. Hermione began to protest until Harry held up his hand to stop her.

"You know good and well I don't throw money around for no reason. This is one of the best reasons I can think of to use what resources I have been given. If it allows us the opportunity to go find your parents while also giving you the wedding you've always wanted, I'd call it worth every penny" Harry told her seriously.

Hermione broke into a smile and launched herself into Harry's arms. Harry fell backwards onto his back in surprise and they both broke into laughter. Hermione hovered over Harry, with a happy look in her eyes. Harry had never been quite this close to Hermione before, at least not like this. She was sprawled out on top of him, her lips barely a foot away from his own. Harry's heart began to beat faster, quite to his own surprise. He could tell Hermione had become aware of their proximity by the look on her face and she quickly moved back to her spot on the couch, a nervous look in her eye.

Harry sat up and pulled at his shirt, straightening it up. Hermione was fumbling with her hands and he looked over at her. They made eye-contact and both blushed and laughed awkwardly. Harry figured this was as good a time as any to talk about the reality of the situation.

"Hermione, have you thought about what it's going to be like?" Harry said, unsure of what he was expecting her to reply. He was nervous that perhaps she could never learn to love him but that was a reality he was ready to face if necessary.

"Expecting what to be like?" Hermione said quietly, turning to face him.

"Well I guess… what it'll be like for us to be married. What it will be like to be with me. What it means for us to be more than friends. Or if you ever want to be more than friends. I guess I just wonder how this is supposed to go." Harry said quickly, avoiding eye contact.

Hermione was quiet for a few moments and then lifted Harry's chin. Harry looked up to see Hermione looking at him with one of the sweetest smiles he had ever seen.

"You're the best man I've ever known. I know that we will be happy together, even if we take some time getting used to the situation. We have always gotten along so well, I highly doubt that we will suddenly stop just because we're married. Sure, the way this has all happened is less than ideal but if I had to be with someone every day for the rest of my life, I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with than you. And as for how this is supposed to go, I have no idea. I do know however that I think we both owe it to ourselves to see if there is something here that can be more than platonic. We both deserve to be in love with the person we marry." Hermione said with a smile.

Harry smiled back at her, relieved that she was open to the possibility of someday falling in love with each other. It gave him hope that maybe they could have some semblance of a normal marriage. They hadn't gotten the opportunity to talk about much in regards to their personal lives since the law had been thrust upon them and Harry had more questions than he could count. He wanted to be sure that he knew what to expect when the time came for them to take the relationship further.

"Hermione, if you don't mind me asking, have you ever… um… well, you know, been with anyone before?" Harry asked timidly.

Hermione shook her head softly and told him "No, not even close, have you?"

Harry shook his head quickly and said "No, just snogging, that's it though."

Him and Ginny had never gotten farther in their relationship than the occasional snog. He had always been a bit petrified at the idea of six Weasley brothers coming after him if he fucked the situation up. Not to mention he had always had this idea in his head that waiting to get married would make it somehow more special.

Hermione looked at him surprised and then cleared her throat. "To be honest, I've only ever been kissed, and even that I've only done twice. Once by Viktor and once by Ron, or rather I kissed Ron. But regardless, I don't really know much about… romantic sorts of thing. In regards to that whole component of marriage, I might need to go rather slow. I'm not ready to rush all this. I'd like us to at least be at the point where we feel more than just friendship before we take things that far. You don't mind, do you?" she said with a nervous glance at Harry.

"Hermione, while we technically have a time limit, I'm in no rush to jump headfirst into deep waters. I would rather us figure out if we could possibly become more than platonic friends in a marriage before we even come close to crossing that line" Harry told her seriously, with a soft smile.

Hermione looked relieved and grabbed his hands in hers. "I'd really like that" she told him with a grin.

They sat there for a moment in comfortable silence. Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and the world seemed to stand still. Harry had always been comfortable around Hermione and he was glad that the usual level of comfort seemed to have returned to normal. However, Harry was feeling something new and strange that he couldn't quite place. Having Hermione next to him, their whole lives laid out in front of each other, made him far more aware of just how amazing the woman next to him truly was. He had always known Hermione was a phenomenal person, but he was amazed at how easily he could imagine falling for her. He had noticed she was beautiful long ago and certainly he knew of her strength and wisdom, but never had he seen her bare her soul quite like this. Harry sighed and looked at her in silent amazement, surprised to see Hermione looking up at him with a similar look in her eyes.

"Harry? Would you mind if I tried something?" Hermione said, her voice barely above a whisper. Harry began to nod his head when Hermione lightly placed her lips against his. It was barely a moment, just a fleeting touch of their lips, but Harry felt his heart flutter against his chest. Hermione placed her head back on his shoulder, and they returned to their comfortable silence.

"That was nice" Harry said, his head resting on Hermione's. Hermione looked up at him and nodded.

"It was. Wasn't it? Maybe this won't be so bad, huh?" she said with a quick jab to his waist. Harry laughed and stuck his tongue out at her. Hermione huffed and tickled him until he was out of breath. She smiled at him and got up from the couch, headed to the kitchen. Harry caught his breath as Hermione got up, offering him a cup of tea and some dinner, which he graciously accepted.

They both spent the rest of the evening planning their journey to Australia to find Hermione's parents. They decided to leave the next afternoon, after arranging all the details for both the wedding and the portkey to Australia. Harry headed back to Grimmauld place to gather his things and plan for the journey ahead. He offered Hermione a room at his place for the night, but she graciously refused and told him she would meet him at his place around noontime.

Harry spent that night lying awake in bed. He couldn't get Hermione out of his head. He kept replaying the feel of her lips against his. That soft fleeting touch had his head spinning in a million directions. He hadn't realized how good it would feel to kiss her. They had always been "just friends". Now, his whole perspective on Hermione was changing and he didn't know how to feel or what to expect. He couldn't say he was in love, or even at the point of falling in love, but for the first time, Harry had a glimpse of what their future might look like. Harry fell asleep that night with a smile on his lips and hope in his heart.


End file.
